Candy Corn Punch

It's that time of year again..Halloween! This past weekend we had our annual Halloween party. We enjoyed some traditional spooky treats that I make every year, and each year I try something new. This year it was a Candy Corn Punch. Look how cool this is! It tastes fantastic too. Simple ingredients make this taste just like a creamsicle! It is made with orange soda, nectar and cream. It looked great and tasted yummy too. I think it tasted much like an orange creamsicle 

This Candy Corn Punch recipe is from Better Homes and Garden. I followed the recipe exactly with one exception, I used canned whipped cream instead of making my own. 

Make this for Halloween or Thanksgiving. Your family and guests will love it! 

Ingredients:

• 1 4-serving-size package lemon-flavor gelatin 
• 1 cup boiling water 
• 2 cups mango nectar 
• 3 1/2 cups orange soda, chilled 
• 1 cup whipped cream * 
• 2 tablespoons honey 
• Candy corn. for topping/decorating  

 *Note: You can use canned whipped cream, such as Reddi-Wip, in place of making your own whipped cream

Directions: 

1.  In a large bowl combine gelatin and the boiling water, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in the mango nectar. Pour mixture into a tall, clear 2-quart pitcher. Cover and chill about 2 hours or until thickened but not set. Gently pour* orange carbonated beverage over gelatin layer in pitcher.

2. In a large bowl combine whipping cream and honey. Beat with an electric mixer or large whisk just until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Spoon over mixtures in pitcher. If desired, add candy. Before serving, stir to muddle.

 

Before serving, stir the Candy Corn Punch to muddle. 
It is so good! It tastes and looks like a creamsicle. 
Yummy!

 

Happy Halloween!!

Amazing Dutch Oven Crusty Bread

There's nothing better than warm crusty bread right out of the oven a cold winter  afternoon.

This bread is amazing. It has a nice crispy crust, and is soft and chewy when you bite into it.  Great served with butter and on the side with meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Or any hearty dinner. It's also the perfect bread for dipping in seasoned olive oil.

It's very easy to make, and I love that you bake it right in your Dutch Oven.

 

Amazing Dutch Oven Crusty Bread

This recipe is adapted from Just Another Day in Paradise. I made a few minor changes to her recipe by adding more flour, less salt, and increased rising time.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 - 5 cups all purpose flour (can use bread flour)
2 Tablespoons yeast
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoons salt

Directions:
1. In a standing mixer bowl, combine the yeast and sugar. Then pour 2 cups of warm water over it. Whisk lightly and allow it to proof by letting it rests for 10 minutes or until it is foamy.
2. In a separate bowl mix 3 cups of the flour with the salt.
3. Add the flour mixture one cup at a time to the yeast mixture in the stand mixer attached with the dough hook. The dough will start to come together, but will be sticky. Add in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time until the dough comes completely together. It still may be a bit sticky at this point.
4. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and place on a well floured counter.  Knead the dough for approximately five minutes, or until the dough is smooth. You may need to add extra flour while needing. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
5. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover the top  Let the dough rise for 30-60 minutes in warm place.
6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with the Dutch oven inside. Remove the dough from the bowl. DO NOT punch down the dough. Lightly coat both the bottom and the top of the loaf with flour. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and gently place the dough in the center of the Dutch oven. Cut 2 or 3 slits in the top of the loaf.
7. Cook for 30 minutes covered. Then take off the lid and cook for another 7-10 minutes, until the top is golden and crunchy looking.

If you don't have a dutch oven, you can purchase one here.

Enjoy!

Pan de Muertos (Mexican Bread of the Dead)

Dead bread (pan de muerto)

a traditional Mexican sweet bread eaten during Dia de los Muertos.

This bread is made for the November 2 celebration known as the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico. Celebrants make a sweet bun-shaped bread that is decorated with finger-shaped pieces to represent the bones of the deceased.

My daughter will be celebrating Dia de los Muertos in her Spanish club today. She volunteered to make and bring this bread in for the celebration.

I absolutely love making yeast breads so I couldn't wait to give this bread a try with my daughter. 

The bread is light and airy. a bit sweet with a hint of anise and orange. It is absolutely delicious with a bit of butter. I think it would be a great bread for any holiday or celebration.

 pan de muerto

 We adapted the pan de muerto recipe from  

Bureaucrats and Baking — City government news and recipes

Bread ingredients:

• 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 packets (1/4 oz. each) rapid-rising dry yeast
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 large eggs
• 1-2 teaspoons of anise seeds

Bread glaze ingredients:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• Granulated or coarse ground sugar

  Directions:

1.  Combine 1-1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, anise seeds, salt and yeast in large mixing bowl. Heat evaporated milk, water and butter in the microwave until mixture reaches 115 to 120 degrees and butter is melted. (Temperature is critical as too much heat could kill the yeast and not enough heat will cause it not to activate).
2. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; pour in milk mixture. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. (No need to use a dough hook). Add eggs and 1-1/2 cups flour; mix well. Gradually add remaining 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 cups flour , a 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition until dough is smooth but not sticky.
3. Place dough on lightly floured surface; knead 10 to 15 minutes or until dough is moderately stiff, smooth and elastic. Additional flour may be needed to help prevent sticking. Place dough in large greased bowl; turn over. Cover with greased plastic wrap.
4. Let rise at room temperature for 60 to 75 minutes.
5. Punch dough down. Cut dough into 3 equal portions to make 2 loaves and 1 for decorations. On lightly floured surface, kneading as necessary, shape 2 of the portions into round loaves. Place on greased baking sheets. Keep all dough portions covered with greased plastic wrap to prevent drying of dough.
6. Shape remaining dough portion into 2 small balls and braids or bones. To decorate, place 1 small ball on top of round loaf, surrounding each ball with the remaining braid or bone decorations. 
7. To adhere shapes to dough with dabs of water.
8. Loosely cover bread loaves with greased plastic wrap. Allow to rise at room temperature for another 30 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, prepare  the glaze. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and orange juice in small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until syrup is formed, about 5 minutes. (Mixture may bubble up; remove from heat if it does, stir and then return to heat.) Remove from heat.
10. Bake loaves for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and brush loaves with syrup glaze. Sprinkle with sugar; return to oven. Continue baking for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Bread after applying the glaze. You can leave it like this or sprinkle with sugar

 

Enjoy!!

Cinnamon Roll Cake

My family loves cinnamon rolls but I don't always have the time to make the dough and let rise. This Cinnamon Roll Cake is the perfect substitute. This is definitely a treat and is great to make for special occasions such as Easter, Christmas, any Holiday, or on an occasional Sunday morning, like today.There's not much else I can say about this other than it is really yummy and pretty easy to make. It's great right out of the oven or at room temperature (I personally prefer room temp). Coffee or milk is a must with this.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Cinnamon Roll Cake:

CAKE:
3 cups Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Sugar
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 cups Milk
2 Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla
4 T Butter, melted

TOPPING:
1 cup ( 2 sticks) Butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

GLAZE:
2 cups Powdered Sugar
5 Tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 glass baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In an electric or stand mixer add the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Once combined well , slowly stir in the melted butter. Pour into the prepared 9×13 baking pan.

FOR TOPPING, In a large bowl mix the 2 sticks of butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon together until well combined and creamy. Drop evenly over the batter by the tablespoonfuls and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake. (I found it hard to swirl so just left it be and it came out perfect).

Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes or when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out nearly clean.

FOR GLAZE: In a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together with a whisk. Drizzle evenly over the warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!!

Valentine's Day Sour Cream Cutout Cookies Personalized with White Chocolate Names

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Nothing says I love you more than a soft cutout sugar cookie with buttercream frosting and personalized with your name in chocolate

I made these for my daughter and her friends Valentine's Day. 

They will be celebrating one of the girls 16th birthday. 

The birthday girl is a huge fan of Harry Potter so I personalized 5 of the cookies with their names and then added a few Harry Potter decorations as well as a Sweet 16 decoration.

I decorated the cookies with buttercream frosting and then made their names and Harry Potter decorations with white chocolate candy coating. It's real simple, just print out the names and.or decorations and then trace ontop of wax paper. The peel off easily and then can be placed on top of a freshly frosted cookies.

Below are the recipes for the cookies and buttercream frosting and 

a tutorial for making chocolate names and designs.

Sour Cream Cutout Cookie Recipe:

Sour Cream Cutouts:

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. salt
 
Makes 10 dozen cookies

Directions:
In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, sour cream, eggs, butter and shortening. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, almond extract and salt. Beat at low speed until soft dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill 1 to 2 hours, or until firm. Note: this dough is very soft, don't worry. Let it chill for a few hours and it will be perfect to roll out and cut. 


Heat oven to 350 degrees. On well-floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness (don't cut any thinner). Using 3 inch cookie cutters, cut desired shapes into dough. Place shapes 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until edges are light golden brown. Prepare frosting as directed. Decorate cookies as desired. Let dry completely before storing. Freeze well unfrosted.

Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
5 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
pink food coloring


Directions:

Mix softened butter on medium speed with an electric or stand mixer. Beat for 30 seconds until smooth and creamy.

Add powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until crumbly. Gradually add milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add a couple drops of pink food coloring.

Frost each sugar cookie using a knife and sprinkle with pink sprinkles.

Chocolate Names & Designs Tutorial

 Type your names using MS Word or your favorite word processor and print on white paper

 Place a sheet of waxed paper on top of the printed page

Melt the candy coating, such Make 'N Mold chocolate 

and place in a squirt bottle or decorating bag

 

Trace the name with the melted candy coating / chocolate

 

Let the candy coating / chocolate harden (it just takes a few minutes)

 

 Peel chocolate name from the wax paper and place on freshly frosted cookies

 

 

 

~Happy Valentine's Day~